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Countdown to Darkness, Issue 3
| | number = | miniseries = | | minino = 3 | | writer = | storyby = Roberto Orci and Mike Johnson | | artist = David Messina | | layouts = | penciller = | inker = Marina Castelvetro (assist) | | finishes = | colorist = Claudia Scarletgothica | | letterer = Chris Mowry | | creative consultant= Anthony Pascale | | editor = Scott Dunbier | | printed = | covers = 2 | | omnibus = | published = | | format = | reprint = | pages = 22 | | story = | publisher = IDW Publishing | | ISBN = | date = c. 2259 | stardate = | altcover = |}} Publisher's description Summary In the Shadows' camp, Sulu and Hendorff are tied up to a post in a small hut where they're being held. Sulu and Hendorff ponder their fate, and also hope that Kirk and Spock don't hesitate to pick them up for most of the Shadow people are armed. Just then, Sulu slips off his boots, and it takes some doing. Eventually he finds a small knife that he kept hidden in his boot and is able to free them both. Hendorff is jealous and also angry that no one knew about the knife Sulu carried, but Sulu says he got a special dispensation from Kirk to do so. Meanwhile, Kirk is preparing to rescue Spock, and April says it is a waste of time. Kirk chastises April, saying that he will no longer listen to his advice because he lied to them about Sulu and Hendorff being safe. April says it was a tactical decision that he lied and that he needs his help as his side of the civil war is being wiped out from the Shadows. He also says that if he had told him the truth outright, he may have gone to rescue them and would have been killed. Just then, a Phaedan tells April that a new arrival is approaching and tells Kirk he better postpone his rescue. The new arrival is none other than another shuttlecraft from the Enterprise. When it lands and the doors open, Uhura and Mudd are there to greet them. April wonders where his supplies are, and Mudd tells him that what he needs is getting harder to come by, even smuggling them across the quadrant. The bad news that she has is that all of the supplies he needs are aboard her shuttle, currently sitting on the hangar deck of the Enterprise. She also says that it took all of her charm to convince them to come down with her. Kirk and Mudd meet, and she unsuccessfully flirts with him. Uhura is then told of the situation that got them there, and is angry when she learns that Spock went off to rescue Sulu and Hendorff without Kirk's permission. Kirk says that he is planning to go after Spock, and orders Uhura to go with him. Mudd scoffs at Kirk, saying they'll be shot down again, but Kirk says they'll take the risk. April says he will not accompany him as his Phadean people need him; Kirk counters that his people need him. Back at the hut, Sulu and Hendorff are freed and are preparing to incapacitate their guards when they are thrown across the room. Sulu and Hendorff are surprised to see Spock, who was the one who performed the action. Aboard the shuttle, Kirk and Uhura discuss their problems about Spock. Uhura is visibly angry with Spock, saying that he's trying to look for any opportunity to sacrifice himself. The reason why he is, she states is he hasn't dealt with the grief over the destruction of Vulcan. Kirk says that he will not allow Spock to do such a thing, but when he asks who she left in charge of the Enterprise, he is shocked to learn that she left McCoy in charge. On the Enterprise, McCoy wonders what the next decision should be. He says they could set a course for Earth, but Chekov says that Starfleet wouldn't approve of the order. McCoy asks Scotty on an update on the transporters, and says that while the transporters themselves are fine, the energy field is deemed too risky to risk using them. Sulu, Hendorff and Spock sneak out of the compound, but are quickly discovered. They are ambushed, and all three use their phaser rifles to dispatch the aliens, but have no luck. Suddenly, the shuttlecraft flies overhead and fires its phasers at the group of aliens, destroying them. The shuttle is able to rescue the three, and in addition to Mudd and April, they return to the Enterprise. In the Briefing Room, April expects to be arrested, but Kirk says that he only brought him aboard to honor the request of food and supplies to his side of the conflict. Spock pulls out something from the planet, a tricorder of Klingon design was found on one of the bodies of the Shadows. Spock also makes a discovery that most of the weapons the Shadows were using were of Klingon origin as well, and says that the Klingons made contact with the Shadows and are supplying arms and supplies to the Shadows. April was already aware of it, again another tactical decision to prevent Kirk from learning the truth of the whole affair. He was hoping to use that ruse to make Kirk help him in wiping out the Shadows. Kirk wonders why if the Klingons want the planet, why don't they just invade. April says that if they were to supply to the winning side of a civil war, they could defeat the opposition and have an instant colony once the other side was defeated. Mudd wonders if she'll be arrested too for smuggling the supplies to April, but Kirk hasn't made up his mind just yet and orders them both to sickbay. Once they leave, Kirk demands that Spock explain his actions on the planet. He warns that if Spock does a similar thing in the future, he will send the Vulcan to a desk job at Starfleet Headquarters. Spock explains that he thought he made the logical decision and rescued his crewmates, but then admits he may have been in the wrong because he allowed his emotional attachment to them sway his logic. Kirk forgives him, but reminds him that he has to still explain to his girlfriend Uhura. They then head to sickbay, but April and Mudd are not there. April and Mudd are reported by the ship's computer to be on their way to the Bridge. Chekov is in command, but April and Mudd stun everyone. April then activates a special computer protocol that allows him sole access to the Enterprise. April announces that he will use the Enterprise to stop the genocide the Shadows are employing. Spock and Scotty try to isolate the protocol, but are unsuccessful. They must try because if the Enterprise unloads its weaponry on the Shadows and if the Klingons are supplying them, April could very well start a galactic war... References Characters : • • • • • • • • • • • Harcourt Fenton Mudd Starships and vehicles : • (shuttle) Locations :bridge • Phaedus IV Deep Space Monitoring Station K8-GG • the galaxy • Mississippi • San Francisco • sickbay Races and cultures :Bajoran • Human • Phaedan ( ) • Vulcan Klingon States and organizations :Starfleet Klingon Empire Science and technology : • impulse engine • phaser rifle • sleeper program • transporter • tricorder • turbolift • [[USS Enterprise (Kelvin timeline NCC-1701) library computer|USS Enterprise (Kelvin timeline NCC-1701) library computer]] Other references :captain • chief engineer • doctor • enlisted • latrine • lieutenant commander • quadrant • quarantine • weapons depot Appendices Images Covers CdTD3.jpg|Regular Cover by David Messina and Claudia Scarletgothica CdTD3B.jpg|Photo Cover Timeline Related stories Category:TOS comics